Friday, December 21, 2007

2007 year end 7" wrap up.

7 inches of 2007

It's that time at 7inches.blogspot that we take a moment and reflect back on the great, continuing even to get even better and better seven inch bounty that was bestowed on the world this year and to take notice of some of the most amazing things to be pressed on the lowly seven inch format. I decided to wait until the last possible moment for any last minute mentions.Here's looking forward to the new year.

Some Top 7"'s of 2007:

Panda Bear - Take PillsUndeniable genius, mutant brian wilson continued, that even your parents could appreciate, and on vinyl? Now you are blowing their mind. I'm glad these tracks could fit on two sides of tiny 7" vinyl and they are great, the live b side is amazing. Essential.

Les Savy Fav - Hit by a Train / Hit by a Car.A conceptual 7", two songs about getting hit and killed by two different modes of transportation. I was surprised to hear this after the years of LSF silence and this broke that silence with pure awesomeness. Superb both sides, a must have. Available from Insound still. Rumored to be an australia tour only 7" of 1000 green copies. I have one with a xeroxed cover apologising for the lack of a cover.

Coathangers - self titledFirst off... it's 4 songs. You're getting your money's worth of awesome rocking balls out we don't give a fuck post-post punk. Don't be a hater, this is good. straight up. Best 4$ you'll ever spend. A reason why Atlanta is getting more and more amazing by the day.From DieSlaughtermaus

Animal Collective - PeopleWhen this came out, I was ready for the Collective to either finally blow it or take music to a new level, and... they did it again. People was another incredible example of what they do so perfect, the yelling, swirling, blend of sounds that ends up pop somehow...almost singalongable. What's even more amazing is that this was released Jan of 2007. I'm not even talking about peacebone yet, which again, destroyed everyone's expectations.I see this this listed all the time as an Austrailian tour 7" limited to 250 copies? I don't believe this, someone set me straight.

Hot Lixx Hulahan - Self titled seven inch. Anyone with the balls to put out a completely silent seven inch and become US air guitar champion will forever be hailed as a genius. Email him for a copy you can't play. Best back sleeve essay ever.

Best split 7" (tie):Bronze / Kazuamsumaki split 7" (mashnote)- It's too bad kazuamsumaki have such an insane name because it can be damn hard to track them down. I was lucky finding this from stickfigure, they were the last ones left from this press in Belgium. These two bands are making the best mathrock I have heard since Don Cab. Amazing amazing stuff, go read more, and check those myspace pages. It's worth holding a tape recorder up to your speakers and making a mix tape like the old days.

crystal castles / health 7" This is where music is going, it's your worst electronic nightmare in the best way, both of these bands are making synth so relevant and frightening it's practically a new genre...reminds me of the late SIDS.

Best 7" subscription series:The Social Registry Social Club...I wish I could remember more specifically about this series except that every single is letterpressed on heavy cardstock, it's practically embossed, super nice. The music is challenging from the likes of a gang gang dance side project, psychic ills, and the latest one, Growing. They are way ahead of everything. Get educated. So glad they are back for another 6 months, renew your membership...I got a christmas 12" I have to check out. Merry Christmas to me. Thanks Registry.

Best 7" Box Set:Thrill jockey 15th anniversary, this is all wrapped up and waiting under my tree. 10 seven inches of joy to thrill jockey. So many seven inches from seas and cake, califone, david byrne, pullman, lonesome organist, all covering each other....It's more than I could ever hope, I could actually order it direct from thrill jockey and it was damn cheap and beautiful.

Best homemade/bootleg 7" scam:Take the Greatest Catpower 7" you can buy for 99 cents, xerox that picture of chan from rolling stone and blam! Sell it for $30 on ebay...awesome. What a jackass.

Best free 7" included with the full length release:Seven Swans Bonus Seven inch:Now I know it costs like $15 for the full length and the bonus 7", but it's a great overlooked album that you don't have anyway, and those tracks are available NOWHERE ELSE... period.From Danielson himself:The two remaining songs, “I Went Dancing With My Sister” and “Waste Of What Your Kids Won’t Have,” were great fun to hear again. I put bass lines down on them and mixed them up for Sufjan to hear. We liked what we heard, but felt that they still belong separate from the album. So here we are with the vinyl re-issue of “Seven Swans.”

Most consitently over valued 7" on ebay:Elliot Smith Speed trials.I love Elliot Smith too a ton, but this is still in print from KRS! Stop selling it for 9.99 or higher. IT IS NOT RARE! It's 4 bucks or less, and there have been THOUSANDS PRESSED! This is like a gateway seven inch. Now try to get all of his 7"'s... then we'll talk.

Band that makes me want to press a seven inch:Keytarded: this bearsuit side project is amazing, they are quitting while they are ahead and playing their last ever show this christmas...in london.

Also awesome:

Matt and Kim (yeah yeah)- they are the best, but the b-side was a remix...I was hoping for something I hadn't heard really bad.Prinzhorn Dance School (multiple) - Do I really even like them?wooden shjips - They are going to be on every list...they are great, I like what I've heard so far.jens lekman - friday night at the drive-in - I'm just glad he released a 7" so I have an excuse to list him. The best.Gingersnap - library card - extra small records - It's like everything I loved about buying seven inches in the late 90's, pavement and sebadoh.mika miko - self titled (hairdryer) - they are great, honest kick ass punk rock, and fun.o'death - what a weird band, amazing live...country Tom Waits bluegrass...a weather - feather test - intimate, like elliot smith or jose gonzalez, I hope the full length is more like this, for the slightly over twee but still sensitive. Like the bowerbirds.the preakness - something so awesomely indie 90's sounding about them, taking all of those influences and reworking them into something great. I love this.jay reatard - “I Know a Place” b/w “Don't Let Him Come Back” 7” - I don't know why I keep listening to this, it is a mystery. I like it, but there's nothing super obviously genius, it seeps in and I can't point to any of it.sic alps - strawberry guillotine - woodsist - they have a great sound, I like that it's drums and a guitar and they make tons of awesome noise.Phil Elevrum - don't smoke / get off the internet - they are beautiful crazy songs about exactly what they are titled. I'm fascinated by this approach and how these tracks work. The packaging was great too, not too mention that 10" and book he has out.

I got the people 7" from aquarius, and I can't find much info about it, but as soon as I saw it I picked it up. I see it every once in a while on ebay.The social registry club is great, but you're taking a chance on some weird shit. It's hit or miss.The joy division 7" is available from scratch records.http://cdn.scratchrecords.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=24893

The End

If you're pressing 7" vinyl - you aren't in it for the money. I appreciate it.
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